Soon there'll be leggings made of milk

German company Qmilk is making fabric out of sour milk

Activewear is getting more and more sophisticated, with companies pouring money into research for new fabrics and materials. The New York Times reported on all the latest high-tech kit, including Kevlar workout gear and fabric that is made out of sour milk.

Anke Domask, founder of Qmilk, hit upon using milk proteins from sour milk to form thread. “You dry it to a protein powder that looks sort of like flour,” she explained. “Then imagine a machine that looks like a big noodle machine. Add the flour, add some water again, then you have the dough.”

The dough us then extruded through very fine holes to form the thread – which apparently feels like silk. The fibres are resistant to bacteria and fire, and they're also edible (presumably only before they're turned into a garment). Qmilk is not available on the market yet but we'll be the first in line to have a sniff when it is.